by Barb Han
“Does she know about the baby yet?”
He shook his head.
“Oh.”
“I plan to tell her, of course. I just didn’t want to do it over the phone in a situation like this. She’ll be happy and want to celebrate.”
“Will she?” She didn’t mean to sound so surprised. It was just that she figured there wasn’t an O’Connor who would actually welcome anything that had to do with her.
“You bet she will. You should see her face when she’s around Cash’s little girl. And, besides, everyone at the ranch could use good news for a change. We need something to celebrate.”
That, she understood.
“And, speaking of the ranch, you should know that I plan to tender my resignation at work once we get you out of trouble.” Hearing those words truly shocked her.
“I thought you loved your work.” She was pretty certain her mouth was agape.
“It’s the right time.” Blake’s cell buzzed. He glanced at the screen and an address popped up in his text messages.
“We have a house by the hospital,” he said. “And don’t worry, it’ll meet all your criteria.”
“Okay, but we’re talking about your career plans once we get there.” She didn’t want to drop the subject and she didn’t want to be the one responsible for him leaving a career he loved. He would resent her for the rest of his life if he gave up something he was so passionate about. And after everything that had happened between them, she definitely didn’t want that to be the case.
Chapter Seventeen
The house should be classified as a mansion. The streets of the gated community were flanked by rows of perfectly manicured palm trees, tall and majestic. Houston had always had a tropical vibe with its palm trees, but the driveway to the house seemed more like a botanical garden.
“Are you kidding me right now?”
“I wouldn’t kid you,” he said with a laugh.
A quick glance at Alyssa and all he could see were those big gorgeous eyes of hers—wide open and trying to take in the magnificence.
“Who lives here?” she asked.
“A prominent Houston quarterback,” he said.
Aaron followed closely behind, and he seemed just as shocked.
What could Blake say? His family was the O’Connors of Texas. They were as down-to-earth as they could be, so it was easy to forget his parents had friends in very high places and connections around the entire state, not to mention a private security team. Hell, he came from high places even though he’d never felt rich one day in his life. Money was a means to an end for ranchers, and not the central focus of their lives. They were practical people who valued hard work and honesty over zeroes in a bank account.
So, it was easy to forget about the one’s in Blake’s. And when he really thought about it, which he didn’t normally, there were quite a few.
Another longer text came through as he parked in the circular drive in front of an all-brick two-story that put his own parents’ house to shame. This place had two distinct wings and had to be more than twenty-thousand square feet.
“Holy cow,” Alyssa said.
There was no visible security and at a place like this there had to be a sophisticated system with someone watching over the place.
He glanced at his phone after parking. He scanned the text. Alarm code? Check. And, yes, there was on-site security. The owners, a prominent Houston quarterback and his new wife, were on the road and wouldn’t be home for weeks.
“There are sensors everywhere outside and more security than Fort Knox. No one’s getting in here undetected,” he explained.
Aaron parked and then came to the driver’s side, arms out wide and a look of disbelief planted on his face.
Blake rolled down the window and held up his left wrist. “You never saw my Rolex before, man?”
Aaron gave a smile and a wave to Alyssa that warmed Blake’s heart, especially after he learned how Liz had been making Alyssa feel.
Yes, his former partner had had a ringside seat to his pain. He even understood a little bit of protectiveness on Liz’s part. There was no reason to go overboard. Blake made his own decisions and his friends respected it. Hell, it was the same going the other way. If one of his buddies got back together with an ex, Blake might warn him or her, but he would never make the ex feel uncomfortable around him. That would be uncool. Behind closed doors, he might make his concern known.
“I know you don’t live in this house because I’ve seen it featured on one of those shows that bring you into athletes and celebrity homes. A certain famous quarterback lives here. It looks even bigger in person than it did on the TV.” Aaron was obviously impressed. Blake needed to tell Alyssa to remind him not to invite any of his buddies to the ranch. Granted, the house wasn’t this impressive, but it was grand. Only once or twice did his last name come up and a joke about him being one of the richest men in Texas. The conversation always ended with someone shaking their head and saying a rich boy would never put his life on the line every day for strangers.
“Lucky for you that you volunteered to help me out then. Because this is where we’re staying for the next couple of days until we figure out who Bus Stop and the Judge are.” His cell buzzed. He checked the screen. Liz. He’d call her back in a few minutes.
“Darn straight I’m lucky. Doing a favor has never paid off like this.” Aaron’s eyes would never be wide enough to fully take in this scene. His reaction might be funny, but the threat against Alyssa was no laughing matter.
“Shall we?” He motioned toward the massive double doors.
“Hell, yeah. I can’t wait to see what’s inside.”
Blake hopped out of the driver’s seat and was around to the passenger side a second too late. Aaron already had the door open and was helping Alyssa out. This visual shouldn’t disturb Blake as much as it did. He wanted to be the one she leaned on.
Shaking off the thought, he moved to the keypad next to the door and punched in the first code of the smart house. A click sounded to his right. Ta-da. The front door was unlocked. He glanced up at the security camera above the door as it moved to snap a picture of the visitors. He had thirty seconds to get inside and to the keypad behind the door.
The next code did its trick. The system was disarmed in seconds. The others had already come inside the entryway.
“I just remembered something. My whole apartment could fit in here,” Alyssa said, waving her arms around in the space ten steps inside the front door.
“Same,” Aaron said walking over toward a table that had several footballs locked inside a lighted case.
“Don’t touch anything,” Blake warned.
“I’m not doing anything.” Aaron’s hands went up, palms out, in the surrender position.
“I know a guy who works security.” Blake figured it was a white lie. He did know one of the men who worked here. He just wasn’t the reason they were invited. “I don’t want him to get into trouble for helping us out. That’s all.”
“Oh, man. This place is huge.” Aaron shouted, “Hello,” and there was literally an echo.
Blake preferred a cozy place, nothing more than a great room, decent kitchen, and two or three bedrooms. This was over-the-top on every level. He didn’t want to need an intercom to speak with his wife from across the house.
The home looked worthy of an old MTV Cribs episode. The best way to describe the decorating style was white and minimalist. The floors were white marble. The walls were painted some type of white. Probably something like eggshell if he had to guess. The furniture in the adjacent living room was white. As he walked the long entryway, he saw that the furniture in the dining room was also white. There were a few colorful pieces here and there. Mostly art. Like in the dining room, there was a huge red dot on a framed canvas. He wasn’t a fancy-enough eater to sit on an all-white chair. His two m
ain meals of tacos and barbecue wouldn’t cut it on those seats.
“I’d say make yourselves comfortable but I’m afraid to sit down anywhere in here,” he said. He checked his phone for the location of a master remote. Apparently, there were two and they ran the entire house, security and all.
“I don’t have anything better to do but my question is this. Do you still need me with all this extra security?” Aaron asked.
“Not really. We’ll be here overnight at the least. I think we’re safe here.”
“Can I take a look around before I head out?”
“Let’s grab a tour.”
* * *
IF ALYSSA LIVED to be a hundred, she would probably never see anything as grand as this home ever again. The movie room was literally a replica of a small theatre. There was a game room that had four pinball machines, which was her favorite game. And a bowling alley.
The room was a sports fan’s dream. A wall of flat screens on the back wall. A fully stocked bar to the left, complete with leather stools. The kind of sectional sofa that she could literally sink into and maybe never get out of anchored the room. And there were throw blankets everywhere she looked.
She imagined being curled up on the sofa, watching a movie with Blake. Forget the movie theatre in the opposite wing with its popcorn and candy bar along with lounge chairs. She would never leave this room if she lived here.
Once the tour ended, Aaron said his goodbyes before taking off. Blake had located one of the remote controls that apparently ran everything. It was the size of a laptop. He armed the alarms, a stark reminder they weren’t here for the toys.
“Do you want to lie down in the guest room?” There was more than one, but she knew he was talking about the closest one off the kitchen. It was most likely a mother-in-law suite complete with a walk-in closet larger than Alyssa’s bedroom at home.
“Can I stay in there?” She motioned toward the TV room.
“You can go anywhere you think you’ll be more comfortable as long as you agree to lie down.” His smile shouldn’t cause a dozen butterflies to take flight in her stomach, but it did.
“Scouts honor.” She walked into the room and just as she’d expected, sank into the sectional. There were dozens of pillows, so she placed a few around herself and got comfortable. Other than showering and going to the bathroom, she would be on her side or her back for the foreseeable future.
Blake sat down next to her.
“One of the guys picked up a few of your personal things from the house and Liz intercepted him. She wants to bring them herself.”
“Oh.”
“I can have someone else bring them over.” His concern touched her deeply. The way he’d snapped into protective mode had her heart wishing things had turned out differently between them. As it was, they needed to learn to co-parent, not be a couple. Besides, would he ever fully trust her again after what happened?
“No. It’s okay.” It wasn’t, and Alyssa still wasn’t thrilled about Liz, but the woman seemed like she was trying to help.
“Are you sure?” His face twisted.
“Yes. I still don’t like her personally. But she’s trying to be helpful.”
“She’s on her way.” He needed to let security know Liz was coming. “In the meantime, you must be hungry. What sounds good?”
“I’d pretty much take anything at this point,” she admitted. “Food does sound really good.”
“The fridge is supposed to be stocked. Let’s see what we can work with.”
She reached out and touched his hand. The electricity nearly caused her to pull hers back.
“Thank you, Blake.”
His fact twisted up again.
“For what?”
“Taking care of us. You don’t have to do this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Alyssa. It’s my responsibility as much as yours.” It made sense that he was going out of his way for the safety and well-being of his child. And yet, hearing it put that way stung just a little bit. Good to know where she stood, though.
“While you deal with Liz and find food, I’d like to take a nap.” Alyssa hugged a pillow to her chest and tucked her feet behind her. She’d already kicked off her shoes when she first sat down on the sofa.
“Okay.” It felt like a wall had just come up between them and a lot like she’d stepped on a landmine. He pushed to standing and started walking away.
In the past, she would have sucked it up and let it be. Maybe it was the fact that dangerous men were chasing her, but she didn’t want to stuff her feelings down deep this time. “Hey, Blake.”
“Yes.” He turned around.
“I don’t know what just happened here but don’t freeze me out. Okay?”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?”
“Seems so.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, I still care about you a helluva lot,” he started.
“And you have every right to protect this baby.”
“Things between us are more complicated than that.”
“Which is why I don’t want to sweep this under the rug. I appreciate the fact you asked me about Liz. But I’m not sure what happened after that conversation was over,” she admitted.
“I’m trying to figure out the boundaries here, Alyssa. I realize that I’ve only recently found out about the baby. I’m sure once I see her, I’ll be head over heels. But right now, all I have to go on is how I felt about you and it’s throwing me for a loop.”
“I agree that we need to find common ground.”
“And I do realize the kisses have to stop. They aren’t helping me with perspective.” Now, he just looked torn. He stabbed his fingers in his hair. “It’s just not easy to go from loving you with all my heart, to coming to terms with our divorce, to finding out we’re about to have a child together.”
“Agreed on the kisses no matter how much I enjoyed every one of them.” She jutted her chin out, determined to let him know he wasn’t the only one battling going for what she wanted versus thinking about what might make them better co-parents to their child. “And I never expected for this pregnancy to happen. It caught me off guard and it’s taken me a while to connect with this little bean. But it helps that she’s growing inside me and I can feel her move.” The little one picked that moment to kick.
“She did it just now, didn’t she?” His gaze went to her belly because the baby kicked so hard her shirt moved.
“Yes. And it was a doozy.” Alyssa thought he was doing pretty well all things considered. “Hey, for what’s it’s worth, you’re doing great with all this. You’ve had hours to figure this out on no notice with someone I’m pretty much guessing you never thought you’d see again. Does that about sum up the situation?”
“I have to admit. You did a pretty good job right there.”
His cell buzzed in his hand. No doubt, it was Liz. He checked the screen. “I should answer this text.”
“Okay.”
He started to walk into the next room but stopped halfway there.
“It’s good that we’re talking through this, Alyssa. It’s progress.” At this point, that was all she could ask for.
Chapter Eighteen
I’m out front.
The text from Liz came quicker than Blake expected. He chalked it up to being distracted as he stood in front of the double fridge doors trying to figure out what to fix for dinner. Thankfully, there were a few frozen pizzas. No salad or fruit since the homeowners were traveling. It wouldn’t make sense to have those. There was plenty of everything else if Alyssa didn’t mind frozen meals for a few days. He could always run out for fresh food to make it a little healthier.
He disarmed the alarm using the remote. It was the biggest remote he’d ever seen. There was a feature that unlocked the front door as well. First, he checked the camera to make
sure Liz hadn’t brought anyone with her.
He’d told her to wait in the vehicle, but she was at the front door holding the items she’d promised. He stopped long enough to take in her body language. She was looking up at the camera, tapping her foot impatiently.
Was she in a big hurry?
Blake strode over to the door and then opened it.
“Hey.” The look in her eyes was patient and something else. Something he was having trouble pinpointing. Nervous? Nah. Couldn’t be that.
“Thanks for bringing these by.” He took the items as Liz glanced around him. Was she looking for Alyssa? His first thought was that Liz might have something to say that she didn’t want Alyssa to hear.
“You’re welcome.”
“Anything else?” he asked.
“No. Same. Great place here. This belong to a friend of yours?” Again, she glanced up at the camera.
“I know the security guard.” He shook his head. “Family is out of town for a few days.”
“This place belongs to that famous football player, doesn’t it?”
He shrugged, figuring he didn’t need to hear any teasing about it later. Of course, he’d already made up his mind to leave the force. He had vacation days saved, so he could call in once this was settled. His time on the streets was over. He and Liz had been close at one time. Like brother and sister. So, why didn’t he suddenly want to reveal his plans?
“Thanks for stopping by and bringing these. I owe you a few for all this,” he said to her.
“Yeah. No problem. I know you’d do the same for me if I needed it.” She looked at him strangely. Like she expected him to ask her to come inside.
“I need to get back to it.” He brought the door close to his body, essentially blocking her view of the inside of the house. “Thanks again.”
“Right.” She took a step back and then glanced at the camera again. “I’ll let you know if anything comes up on the murders.”
“All right then. Drive safe.” It was an odd thing to say and yet he’d run out of thank-yous. He closed the door and then grabbed the remote off the table where he’d set it before opening the door. He watched the camera and got one of those weird feelings as Liz walked to her car. After locking the door and making sure the area was secure, he fished his cell phone out of his pocket and called Aaron.
